Dutch Modular Fest 2025

Get Ready for the Dutch Modular Fest!
The annual Dutch Modular Fest (DMF) is happening this Saturday September 6th, at WORM in Rotterdam.
This festival, a cornerstone for the modular synthesizer community in the Netherlands, is a celebration of sound, technology, and creativity.

What started in 2017 as Ginkofest, organized by Jan Willem Hagenbeek of Ginkosynthese, has grown into a vibrant event that brings together makers, musicians, and artists from the modular synth world.

He created a space where enthusiasts could connect and share their passion.

This year's festival is packed with activities for everyone, from beginners to seasoned pros.
You can attend talks and masterclasses, browse the Makers Market, or get hands-on with a DIY-workshop where you can build your own modules. And of course, there will be plenty of live performances to inspire you.

One of the most anticipated events at the festival is the Mutable Challenge, a special tribute to the groundbreaking Eurorack company Mutable Instruments, which closed its doors in 2022.
This unique competition honors their legacy by showcasing the enduring power of their modules.
Participants will start with a rack full of only Mutable Instruments modules and have just one hour to create whatever they want—a tune, a soundscape, or even pure noise.
The challenge is to demonstrate the unique and creative potential of these iconic modules.

The festival is excited to welcome Gaz Williams to host this special project and already announced the four artists who will take on the challenge: Jungle of Wires, Yonga Sun, Paul Tas and Oğuz Büyükberber.
Each of these artists will bring a unique perspective on sound, improvisation, and expression. 

Tickets are still available at https://www.dutchmodularfest.com/

The Makers Market will be filled with some already established brands like Erica Synths, This is Not Rocket Science and ErrorInstruments, but there's also place for lesser known brands that will showcase their latest inventions... 

You can find the full list of exhibitors after the break:

Ginko Synthese Flightcases

Ginko Synthese portable flightcase frontside 

Ginko Synthese, known from their recent successfully funded SampleSlicer project and their TTLFO, has been making modular cases for quite a while...

Now this Dutch company is thinking about making a small batch of portable flightcases (the white one with aluminium corners), maybe 10 or 20 pcs.
The pictures are an indication of what it will look like (a case he made earlier).

The busboards are connected directly to the back of the case in this one, but if enough people are interested he will make internal mounting rails for them so there will be nothing visible on the outside.

Ginko Synthese portable flightcase backside

Specifications:

- 104 or 114HP width
- includes PSU and Doepfer busboards
- case depth will be around 11cm
- keeps your patches inside while lid is closed
- detachable lid
- 220V connection on side for standard eurostyle power cable

Updated November 3, 2014
You can still order for this batch.
They are available in two sizes:
104HPx6U = €320,-
114HPx9U = €500,-
They come including PSU and busboards.
The color is white/grey and have a subtile gynkosynthese logo engraved in the lid.
The power connection is on the side so you can use it laying flat or standing vertical.

Check the Ginko Synthese Portable Cases product-page for more info on how to order:
http://www.ginkosynthese.com/product/portable-cases/

Ginko Synthese Sampleslicer KickStarter Project

Products from the Netherlands get some special attention at PatchPierre.Net.

SampleSlicer prototype

Jan Willem from Ginkosynthese is slowly uncovering the KickStarter project plans for the Ginko Synthese Sampleslicer Eurorack Module.

" The Sampleslicer is a real-time monophonic sampler, including a 16 step voltage-controlled sequencer.The incoming sound is chopped up automatically into 16 parts by the incoming clock signal and spread out over the16 steps in the internal sequencer."

The first batch will be manufactured from a crowdfunding project.
Subscribe to receive an e-mail as soon as the crowdfunding campaign kicks off."

Read more about this project on Kickstarter.

Follow Jan Willem on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jan.willem.737

Video: Intro


Video: Ginko Synthese SAMPLESLICER demo by Jan Willem

New updates will be added later...
" Last but not least: If we reach the goal, we will create an add-on module to use pre-recorded samples from a memory card, and moreover it opens a way for us to develop even more awesome modules!""

Update Oct. 20 2014:

As you probably know the sampleslicer kickstarter is successfully funded. Thank you all for the support! 
The sampleslicer will be shipped to all backers around 20th of december. 
We work hard to get this date stipt. 
If you where not able to be part of the kickstarter project there are two options to get a sampleslicer. 
1: there will be a short period for ordering on my websitewww.ginkosynthese.com (people on the waitinglist will get a mail about this) 
or 2: wait for the retailers as we will drop some modules at retailers afterwards

Ginko Synthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO and VCSQ Step Sequencer

Ginko Synthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO

And another new Eurorack manufacturer has popped up, this time from my home-country The Netherlands...

Ginko Synthese is founded by Jan Willem Hagenbeek.

As an electronic musician and producer he has first hand experience of the gap between the feel of playing live on stage and the more controlled environment when working in the studio for productions.
Therefore all of his products are designed with a focus on the immediacy of live performance, but can be easily integrated into a studio environment.

Very soon his latest product the VCSQ will be available on his website.
This voltage controlled stepsequencer can be controlled by the earlier released GinkoSynthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO that is based around the Electric Druid TAPLFO chip.
It's not the LFO you already know... It is synced to your master clock, or sync it with the taps you make on the tap button and it is quite useful as a taptempo master clock generator.

Ginko Synthese TTLFO and
VCSQ Step Sequencer

The VCSQ transforms a CV signal into a sequence; every voltage step of 0.625V gives a next step on the sequencer.

It can be internally connected by the TTLFO via a wire, and playing with the distort knob gives nice changes in the sequence.
If you put in a sine wave the sequence is bouncing.

The final design of the VCSQ was finished a few days ago and they will order the pcb's in the first week of January.
It will probably appear on their website soon...

Specifications of the TTLFO:
- Eurorack size
- Width: 10HP (50.5mm)
 +/-12V and 5V
- compatible with Doepfer
Features:
- 8 waveforms
- multiplier / clock divider
- horizontal wave distort
- external clock input
- CV input for distort amount
- CV input for multiplier
- LFO output (selectable between 0/5V and -5V/+5V)
- clock output

- manual available on the site (PDF)

If you're interested in ordering one, you can fill out the form on their website.

Update October 27 2014:
There will be an upgrade for the Tap Tempo LFO available soon. 

This chip is specially designed for Ginko Synthese by Tom Wiltshire and is only available through the GinkoSynthese TTLFO upgrade-chip productpage.

What’s different?
The tap tempo speed of the LFO is currently limited to a little less than 1 cycle per 4 seconds and with the multiplier at ½ to 1 cycle per 8 seconds max. The new chip will push the maximum cycle time up to 1 cycle per 20 seconds! This comes in handy by creating slow evolving pads and when the Tap Tempo LFO is used in combination with the Voltage Controlled Sequencer.